Quiescence
by Lilac Queen
Summary: Insecurity. It's a feeling that makes you hide things. And that's why both of them kept their feelings hidden from each other. To secure their friendship, they'd surrender to silence. SasuSaku. AU. One-shot.


**The title of this one-shot is suggested by Sapphire Rivulet. So all the credit goes to her. "Quiescence" means silence or serenity, whichever you want. The song used in this fic is "Because You Live" by 'Jesse McCartney'.  
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**Summary: I****nsecurity. It's a feeling that makes you hide things. And that's why both of them kept their feelings hidden from each other. To secure their friendship, they'd surrender to silence.**

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**Dedicated to: Sapphire Rivulet, blankstateofmind, and SasuSaku Forver and Ever. You guys are the best!**

**Rating: M (Just to safe :P)**

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_Feelings are never meant to be kept hidden. Feel free to express them, because you never know when you will lose them._ _Sometimes, it might be too late to regret keeping them hidden._

* * *

They first met in high school, where they found themselves attracted to each other. But that's far from the start of their relationship. He always thought of her as _annoying_, and she always thought of him as a cold, heartless _bastard_.

They became inseparable close friends, always spending time with each other. All the students assumed that they were in a relationship. But to their astonishment, they were just best friends. Although everyone doubted that, even their own friends. Naruto and Hinata became a couple when the blond concluded that the roseate was already smitten by the younger Uchiha. He found his soul-mate in the Hyuga girl, or at least that's what he boasted. Naruto, being close to both Sasuke and Sakura, already knew the depth of their relationship. After much persuasion, he failed to bring them together. And then he came to a conclusion- they were both in denial.

Sakura, being the tomboy she is, would always be clad in boyish clothes, much to Ino's dismay. The pink-haired girl had always felt repelled by skimpy and girly clothes. Though, sometimes she gave in to her blonde best friend's request of wearing a dress for some certain occasions.

* * *

"Sasuke, let's find you a girlfriend!" Sakura exclaimed as they were walking through the hallways, bunking the Physical Education class.

'Jiraiya-sensei teaches wrong.' That's what the Uchiha had said when they attended his first class. Sakura, being the curious person she is, asked for a reason. Sasuke just told her that their sensei is a pervert and would always make snide comments about anatomies. Back to the matter at hand, Sasuke raised an eyebrow at his _best friend_, and wondered if she had finally lost her mind.

"Hn, no thanks," he replied before she'd take his silence as a yes.

"But why? I mean, don't you want to have a girlfriend? That way you'd have someone to care for you and put up with your mood swings, and also, that'd put an end to the rumors about you and me dating. It'd be like hitting two birds with one stone!"The roseate said with puppy-dog eyes, knowing her best friend couldn't resist that move.

His eyes twitched at her expression. She had him wrapped around her finger, really, and knew how to get things done her way. And that's so _unfair_. Uchihas do not have any weakness, but damn this pink-haired girl who had become his weakness. With a sigh, he nodded.

"Yay! Now that you've agreed, let's put our plan in motion!"

She already had it planned out, knowing he'd agree anyway. Now that's something he wasn't prepared for.

"And what's the plan?" He asked, deciding that he'd better not be left in dark. The roseate was very capable of doing all things in extreme ways.

"It's quite simple, really. All we've got to do is go to the club, find a beautiful girl who doesn't fawn over you or wear anything too revealing. Got it?" She explained as if she was telling someone a recipe to make tomato soup.

"Sakura, that's extreme. I don't even know why we're doing this," he stated in a mildly irritated tone. He could never get angry at his tomboy best friend. He cared for her too much to be angry at her.

"Sasuke, when I'm included, things are always _extreme_. That's the way I like it, so bear with it." She winked at him, went up to Naruto and told him her plan.

Naruto listened and then gave the Uchiha his you-both-are-crazy stare before returning his attention to the babbling roseate. Neji's reaction was quite similar except he rolled his eyes and muttered, "Just get hitched up already". The Uchiha pointedly decided to ignore the stares his friends were giving him and oblivious roseate.

_Why am I doing this again?_ He thought to himself.

His friends thought that he and Sakura were in love with each other but just don't realize it. Yeah, right. In _love_? With his _best friend_? That's the biggest misunderstanding in the world.

"So guys, eight o'clock at club. Don't forget!" He was snapped from his thoughts by her voice.

Everyone rolled their eyes at her excitement, but nodded anyway. Then she turned to him and grinned. He wondered what else she was going to do.

"Sasu-cakes, take me to your house. I'm going to make sure that you're going to be the show stopper today. Let's go!" And then she rushed towards the parking lot.

He sighed at her retreating figure and nodded at his friends in a silent goodbye before following his pink-haired best friend.

She was one of a kind, always high-spirited. Never once did he see her gloomy, except for when her cat died, when she found it in the park one day. She was so depressed and sad; she even arranged a big funeral for her cat, as if it wasn't some animal but one of her family members who had died. Some of her friends were just plain shocked by this act, and no one took it seriously. Because, it was just a cat anyway, no big deal. But Sasuke was a whole different case. He helped her with the funeral and also told his friends to be there, or more like warned them. Nothing would affect him more than the roseate getting depressed over the fact that none of her friends wanted to partake in her sorrow of losing her pet cat. Of course, everyone was present, thanks to the Uchiha's death glare. No one messes with an angry Uchiha. They valued their lives enough to comply with his demand.

Two days later, Sakura was still gloomy, and it took all of his will-power to not wreak havoc. After thinking for a few hours, he just bought a cat from a pet store and gifted it to her, telling her that his cousin had decided to give it to him. But he wasn't particularly thrilled by the idea of having a pet so instead he saw fit to give it to her. Sakura, being the naïve girl that she is, believed him and took the cat under her care. As expected by the Uchiha, she soon started to return to her old self.

* * *

"No, not that. Yes, that one. Try it on and show me, ASAP." Her loud voice boomed in his bedroom.

"Sakura, it doesn't matter. Anything is fine, as long as I'm wearing something," Sasuke answered in an irritated tone. He wasn't very delighted by the idea of cosplay.

"Oh hush Sasuke, quit complaining. _Anything_ is not fine. You've got to look best of the best. And honey, there's no way I'll let you go without a shirt, because then you'll be raped, and I don't want to get blamed for it!" Again with the exaggeration.

He sighed. There couldn't be any resistance against the roseate. She was too excited and thrilled by the task of finding him a girlfriend. And he was feeling the exact _opposite_ of that.

She was finally content on him wearing a blue and white checkered shirt with sleeves rolled up to his elbows with black jeans and red sneakers accompanied.

"Sasu-cakes, can I cut your hair?" Sakura asked innocently, but inwardly, she was just trying to irritate him, it was kind of her hobby. She received a glare on behalf of his answer.

"I'd like to see you try," he muttered viciously. No one touches his precious hair. Correction- no one _cuts_ his precious hair. Because the roseate is the only one allowed to touch his hair. Yeah, he's partial to the roseate. So _what?_

"Uh, ha-ha… I didn't really mean that, I was just joking, really!" She said with a nervous laugh. It's not good to mess with an Uchiha, and no one knows that better than her.

"No excuses." And with that he lunged at the roseate who ran away with a squeal. This was how they would be in each other's presence. They were comfortable with each other and knew each other better than themselves. Sakura was the only one who knew the soft side of the Uchiha. Also, she's the only one to have experienced it. To others, he might appear as a cold person, but in reality, he's a big softie inside. Not that she's going to tell anyone that. It's a secret just between her and Sasuke.

A sharp pang of jealousy hit her when she realized that today Sasuke would get a girlfriend, so he wouldn't have much time for her. All the secrets between her and Sasuke would have to be shared with the new girl. She stopped in her stride to run for it. She hadn't realized at first how difficult it'd be to share her best friend with someone. But it's all for his happiness, she reminded herself.

And almost immediately, she was tackled by a certain Uchiha, who began to tickle her.

"Sasuke, stop- haha, stop tick-haha stop _tickling_ me!" She said in between giggles.

And that's how they spent the day till evening. Laughing and talking, with a few snide and witty comments here and there.

Sasuke waited for his best friend to exit her room. Well, it's actually _his_ room. But she practically lived with him. So back to the matter at hand, he was waiting for his tomboy best friend to come out of her oh so bigger than life closet to grace him with her presence. Note the sarcasm please.

He turned his head when he finally heard the sound of the knob turning. His eyes widened as he took in the scene before him. The roseate wore a black TS dress with three-quarter length netted sleeves over it. She looked absolutely _breathtaking_. Her soft milky skin contrasted greatly with the black color. Her eyes were brought out by a light appliance of black eye-liner. She didn't wear any eye shadow, but he could see a hint of light pink blush on her face. Her lips were covered with a cherry pink shade of lipstick. All in all, he had never seen anyone more beautiful than her, ever.

Sasuke was sure he had his jaw hanging out on the floor. But he quickly composed himself and decided to compliment her, but that all went to hell when he saw the length of her dress. It barely reached her mid-thighs.

"No."

"Huh? What no, Sasuke?" the roseate asked with confusion lacing her tone. Did she look bad? Was that why he wastelling her not to come with him?

"No, you're not wearing _that_," he said in a firm tone. There's no way he would let her wear that thing. It wasn't lengthy enough to be considered a _dress_.

"Why? I think it's beautiful. Ino picked it out for me. I know _I'm_ the one who doesn't look good but the dress is alright."

"Not _you_, the _dress_. It's too short. You're _not_ wearing that. Change_, now_." It seemed more like an order rather than a request. She wouldn't bend to his demand though.

"No," she said, absolution in her tone.

Sasuke scowled at that. He knew that tone very well. It's her I-am-not-gonna-listen-to-you. His eyes twitched at that. He'd have been more than happy to argue with her, but seeing as the dress had an appropriate neckline, he let it slide. He saw the Uchiha bracelet on her right wrist, and that calmed him down. He had given that to her as a present on her seventeenth birthday. It had diamonds embedded on the lining of the uchiwa fan, and looked elegant on her slim hand. It was as if the bracelet was made especially for her. Although that sounded cliché, it was the truth anyway. He nodded at her.

"Let's go then!" she squealed.

* * *

His friends were already present at the Midnight Club before they arrived. They enquired about their late coming which they both just shrugged off. Naruto gave Sasuke a knowing look, which the Uchiha ignored.

The dance floor was filled with people grinding against each other. They were either too drunk or had no decency left within them. Sasuke frowned at the environment he was present in. He was not comfortable having the roseate in that kind of environment. She was too innocent and simple-minded to know the stained world of alcohol and clubs. He decided to keep a close eye on the roseate.

"Sasuke, Sasuke, look at that girl. She's hot, huh? Is she your type?" She asked him while pointing at a red-head who was winking at him. He grimaced at that. Flirts were so _not_ his type.

"Don't point," he hissed and lowered her hand. He could see some of the guys checking out _his _best friend. But as soon as they saw him death-glaring at anyone within a three-foot radius, they backed away.

He knew it wouldn't be long before boys would flock around Sakura and offer her drinks, probably drugged, and then take advantage of her. He almost growled when he thought of the possibility. He wouldn't leave her side at all, he decided. Better safe than sorry.

A few hours went by, with Sakura pointing at random girls who were flirting and winking at him, some even tried to force him onto the dance floor with them, but the Uchiha was grounded at the rosette's side, claiming he wasn't interested in dancing.

"My, what a beautiful lady to grace this dull club. And what, may I ask, is the name of such a pretty lady?" A brunette guy asked Sakura, ignoring the heated glare that Uchiha was giving him. Sakura blinked a few times and stared dumbly before realizing that _she_ was the one being addressed.

"Uh, S-Sakura. Sakura Haruno," she said after a moment of silence, oblivious to the Uchiha seething next to her.

"A pretty name for a pretty girl, huh? I'm Daichi Hanazawa, pleased to meet you." He said, offering his hand to her.

Sakura smiled at him before taking his hand and shaking it. He was a cute guy, with brown hair and honey-colored eyes. His defined cheekbones made him look good. But the look in his eyes screamed _playboy_, and naïve Sakura was too innocent to notice that.

"May I have a dance with the most beautiful woman in this club?" Daichi asked with a smirk on his face.

Sakura blushed at his overflowing comments on her beauty. She wasn't used to taking compliments. She felt quite uneasy at the new guy's presence. But it wasn't not like he'd do anything to her in a club full of people, was it? A little dance wouldn't hurt, right? She nodded slightly to him, and turned around to inform the Uchiha, only to find her best friend looking ready to kill someone. Huh? Did she miss something?

"Sasuke, I'm going to dance for a bit. Why don't you find a partner for yourself to dance with?" She asked with a grin, trying to get him to the dance floor. The closer he was to her, the safer she'd feel.

"Hn, I don't _dance_, Sakura." His answer was quick and monotonous. His hands were fisted and his knuckles were turning white. His eyes were turning red with anger. Naruto was the only one who noticed this, being closer to the Uchiha than the others.

"Um, okay then. Wait for me here. I'll be right back." She gave him a nervous glance before being dragged away by Daichi.

* * *

Sasuke watched from afar. He was beyond livid. How _dare_ that kid ask Sakura for a dance? He immediately knew that this boy was a playboy, everything about him practically screamed that for Pete's sake. The way his eyes gazed at the roseate with unhidden hunger unsettled him a great deal, and it further angered him. His eyes were glaring at that Daichi guy on the dance floor. He saw the way he had his hands around the roseate, lowering slowly below her waist. His hands moved the locks of her pink hair behind her ears. He saw his best friend stiffen at the contact. _Now_ he saw red. He strode to the dance floor and ripped the guys arm away from Sakura. Damn _politeness_.

"Don't touch her, you scumbag," the Uchiha snarled menacingly to Daichi, who looked downright like a scared puppy after seeing the murderous look on the new arrival's face. He ran off to the bar, hoping to drink enough to forget the death wish sent his way.

Sakura stared nervously at Sasuke, who was glaring at no one in particular. She could practically feel the anger radiating from him beside her. He had a firm grip on her waist, preventing her from even moving. She gulped when he directed his gaze at her. She tried to give him a nervous smile, which failed epically. She knew that Sasuke was overprotective about her, so it wouldn't do any good to fight with him over this. Anyway, she was feeling uncomfortable around Daichi in the first place, so she couldn't complain about Sasuke's actions. He was possessive, and she was well aware of that. He was her _best friend _after all.

"Uh, Sasuke, let's go. I'm tired, really." She wanted nothing more than to get out of this place. Things didn't go the way she had wanted.

* * *

His eyes twitched as he heard her wailing on his bed. She was so _immature_. At first he thought she was crying because she was upset about that Daichi guy thing. But it turned out to be something else entirely.

"I CAN'T _BELIEVE_ WE DIDN'T FIND YOU A GIRLFRIEND _THERE_!" she wailed for the umpteenth time.

Sasuke winced at her loud tone. True, she was one of a kind. Any normal girl wouldn't be upset about _that_. He watched his best friend continued to wallow on his bed, her face stuffed into the blue silky pillow covers. He had always found the match of pink and blue intriguing.

"Sakura, stop that," he all but requested.

"_BUUUUUUUUUT!_" And she continued to wail her heart out. The youngest Uchiha flopped down on a chair beside her and sighed.

"Want strawberry ice-cream?" he asked with a smirk, knowing the upcoming reaction.

"Really? You'll treat me?" she asked, raising her tear-stained face from the pillows.

Sasuke scowled at the flushed face of his best friend. Her cheeks were tinted pink from stuffing them in the pillow. His heart broke at the sight. If there was one thing he never wanted to see, it'd be his best friend crying. He opened his arms as she reached out to him and hugged her tightly to him. He cared for her too much to make her sad. The only reason he agreed to do things that were out of his league was to see her smile. The only problem was that he cared for her _a lot_. She'd get many threats from his fangirls to leave him alone. But that was all wasted when it came to Sakura. She was downright furious at the threats she received and taught some good lessons to her _well-wishers_. Yeah, _right_.

They made their leave, already dressed in their normal clothes, Sasuke in his button-up shirt and jeans and Sakura in her skinny jeans with a shirt and a camisole over it.

* * *

He watched her as she talked to Naruto about some stupid Biology project. They were grouped together and it was certainly not his favorite subject. But with Sakura, he could bear it. Just.

"Dobe, _shut up_. Sakura, get back to your _work_. Stop chatting." He vaguely registered their whines as they complied with his demand. His friends were just plain _annoying_. They wanted everything to be a _piece of cake_.

"Sasu-cakes, remove that stick up your ass. You're such a mood spoiler," Sakura whined while sticking her tongue out at him.

Geez, all he did was advise them on what's good for them. Well, _damn_.

He turned his eyes upwards from his laptop and looked again. As expected from Naruto, he was looking at the project file as if it were from another planet. But the roseate was keen on completing the presentation required for the project. He knew she was creeped out by Orochimaru too much to actually be late for submissions.

He was always amazed by the rosette's features. Her eyebrows pulled together when trying to concentrate, her lips set in a grim line, her cheeks puffed a bit, and her forest-green eyes had a steady gaze. She was the epitome of an accomplished student. And he denied that he was _staring_ at her. He was just checking if she was doing her work. Yes, that's _exactly _what he was doing.

* * *

He was sitting in his room, with nothing better to do, and was reading a book. And that's when he got a phone call from his best friend.

"Hn?" he asked monotonously, secretly wondering if she was going to ask him to pick her up and go somewhere to have fun. But what she said next had his blood boiling.

"_Guess what? I got a boyfriend! His name is Hotaru and he's so cute! I'll let you meet him tomorrow in school. He's one of the upperclassmen,_" She squealed on the other line.

"Hn. I'll talk to you later," he cut off the phone and punched the wall adjacent to him. A deep feeling of hatred towards the guy she was talking about flowed within him. He already hated the boy he hasn't even _seen_. It was as if someone had punched him in the gut. He didn't like this feeling. He knew that Sakura was happy, her tone defined that. He calmed himself down. If she was happy, then he was fine with it. But he couldn't bring himself to join in her happiness.

* * *

**Two days later….**

His phone rang, its noise echoing in his room. It had been two days since he'd last left his room. The news of his best friend having a boyfriend affected him too much. He couldn't cope with seeing her with another man. He knew this feeling. He had always thought of her as his _best friend_. But now, he knew that his feelings weren't platonic anymore. He wasn't foolish enough to not know that.

He was in _love_ with her. He was in love with his _best friend_. All the signs were there. Possessive. Overprotective. Jealousy. Him caring for her more than necessary, always looking out for her. How could he have missed all those signs? If just he had been quicker, faster than that guy, he'd have had Sakura by _his _side, not seeing her standing next to someone else's side.

The ringing continued, and finally he picked up the cell, irritated by the constant ringing. He let out a string of colorful words when he saw the caller ID. It was his blond best friend.

"What, dobe? It'd better be something important," the Uchiha warned.

"_It is _extremely_ important_," the blonde on the other line muttered solemnly. Sasuke immediately sensed the stressed and panicked tone.

"What is it?" He asked.

_"It's S-Sakura, S-She's-"_ he was cut off by the younger Uchiha.

"Sakura? What happened to her dobe? _Damnit_, just spill already!" Sasuke had trouble controlling his panicked state. Did something happen to Sakura? Was she in trouble?

_"She's leaving, teme. She's going to New York. I asked her why, but she isn't telling the reason to anyone. I thought only you'd be able to do something. And one more thing, don't try calling her on her cell, she won't pick up."_

Sasuke didn't need any more explanations. He was already out of his room making his way towards his car. He had to know the reason. But more importantly, she was leaving without telling him. Why? He couldn't just let her go without knowing the reason.

* * *

Sakura was packing her suitcase. All her clothes were laid out on the bed, waiting to be stuffed in the bag. Her parents didn't object her decision. They had always given her the freedom of choice. Her mother had advised her to inform Sasuke about her decision, but she wouldn't do that. She knew the effect he had on her. He'd easily convince her to stay; just a few words of inconvenience were all he'd need. But she had set her mind – she was going to leave.

Sure it didn't work out well between her and Hotaru, so what? That didn't mean her life's over. But if she went back to Sasuke, her best friend, she wouldn't be able to hold off her feelings for long. It didn't take her long to figure out her true feelings for Sasuke. And Hotaru played a big part in making her realize it. But in the process, she got hurt, physically. She lifted her hand and rested her palm against her right cheek, where he had slapped her, after coaxing out her feelings for Sasuke. The memory was still fresh in her mind.

**Flashback:**

_Sakura was on a date with Hotaru. They were at dinner in a fancy restaurant. It fitted to both of their statuses. But something about the way he stared at her was quite unsettling. It was as if he was seeing right through her soul, ripping the truth out of her._

"_Sakura, do you love Sasuke?" he asked her suddenly, his voice sharp._

"_W-What are you saying, Hotaru? He's just my __best friend__." She tried to convince him, but it sounded more like she was convincing herself._

"_You mention him often; your thoughts revolve around him. Whenever I ask about your friend, you start blabbering about him. I'm sure you've other friends, too. But compared to Sasuke, you mention them very rarely," He said, his tone sure._

_Sakura started to feel nervous. Her palms began to sweat. Her eyes became glazed. She knew someday she'd to admit this. But for Hotaru to point it out so bluntly was something unexpected. She'd always felt more than platonic feelings for Sasuke, but she didn't want to disturb their current relationship. She didn't know if he liked her or not. But mostly, she believed that he wasn't in love with her. When she mentioned her plan to get him a girlfriend, he didn't complain about it much. So she thought that he himself agreed on that part. _

_She thought that he was getting worn out by having only her as his company. It's not like she was attractive. Her weird pink hair color, her alien-like green eyes, too large billboard forehead; it all added up to her ugliness. _

_She rose from her chair, wanting to leave this place as quickly as possible. The realization was making her dizzy from such overwhelming feelings._

"_I'm sorry, but I've got to leave now. I'll talk to you later. Please, excuse me." She quickly managed to mutter her goodbye and exited the restaurant. _

_Just as she got to the middle of the parking lot, a hand grasped hers and turned her around roughly. She met the angry face of Hotaru, his grip tight on her small wrist._

"_W-What are you doing, Hotaru? Let go of my hand, it hurts!" she exclaimed, trying to get out of his grip, but to no avail._

"_You love him, don't you? You love Sasuke, right?" he asked, not loosening his firm grip._

_Sakura stared at him. What was he trying to make her admit? This all was so overwhelming for her. She couldn't handle it. She was a nervous-wreck, couldn't he see that? He could see that she wasn't going to speak anytime soon, so he continued._

"_I see how you get when his name comes up. You can't keep that fucking smile off your face. You keep grinning like a lovesick-idiot heads over heels for some guy. And I'm most certain that it isn't me. Why don't you just admit it, huh? Just admit you love him! Stop playing games with me, damn it. Admit it! Just admit it already!" He finally snapped, his patience lost seconds after._

"_YES, YES I LOVE HIM! THERE YOU GOT IT. ARE YOU SATISFIED NOW? YES, I _LOVE_ HIM." She shouted at him, tears streaming down her face like a waterfall. She couldn't deny it any longer. _

"_Do you know why? Because he cares for me, he_ never_ tries to __hurt__ me. In fact, he hurts the ones who hurt _me_. He respects me. He doesn't try to change me, but changes _himself _to adjust with and for me." She let it all lose. There, she had said it, and every damn word of it was true._

_Hotaru stared at her, his blue eyes set in a glare. Just like he thought, she was just playing him, using him. How _dare _she?_

_She didn't see it, but felt it. Her cheek blazing with pain, which she was sure would be swollen in no time. He had just slapped her. She couldn't control her tears and let them fall. The heat blazing on her face was far too bad to be disguised. _

**Flashback over_  
_**

It was inevitable, she guessed. She was playing with his feelings after all. It wasn't as if she had done it on purpose, but she wasn't totally innocent either. She knew she was at fault to some extent. After he hit her, he just went to his car, and without as much offering her a ride back home, he left. The betraying tears cascaded their way down her cheeks. Wiping them away urgently, she continued her packing. If anything happened, it wouldn't make much of a difference now.

Her head snapped up when she heard the front door open. Who had come over at this time? Her best guess was Naruto, because he's the only one who would try to stop her, except for Sasuke, but he was unaware of her leaving for New York. She didn't tell him, and wouldn't until she was at airport, ready for the flight to take off. She heard footsteps coming towards her room and sighed. Naruto was very stubborn. Leave it to him to make people change their mind. But not her. Not this time, at least.

The person opened her bedroom door and walked towards her directly, without wasting any time. Sakura didn't bother to turn other. She already knew who the person was.

"You planned to leave without telling me?" It was an accusation directed towards her. But that wasn't what made her stop her movements and her form still. It was the painfully familiar voice which made her heart contract painfully. How it hurt knowing that her love was unrequited. She turned her head to face him, shock evident on her face.

"H-How?" she questioned in a shaking voice. She didn't remember telling him. How did he find out? _Naruto_. His name flashed in her mind without a second thought.

"It doesn't matter how. What matters is that you considered me so unimportant that you didn't feel the need to inform me of your leave." One more accusation. His eyes were narrowed and pain and agony were obvious in them. She had hurt him.

"I-I was going to tell you but I forgot. I'm sorry, really I am," she defended herself lamely. She knew he wouldn't believe that for his life.

"Really Sak? You expect me to believe that? You can't lie for your life. I know you better than yourself, so cut the chase."

She sighed. This is going nowhere. She knew that tone very well. He very rarely demanded anything unless he was _impatient_.

"Hotaru and I broke up. I just want to escape so I'm going far away. Please don't try to stop me," she said in a tired voice. She hadn't slept a wink. The whole night she had spent crying over herself. _Pathetic_.

His eyes softened up at her tone. So she wasn't seeing someone anymore. That brought a sense of relief over him. But he knew that as soon as she was out of sight, the relief wouldn't last. He wouldn't stop her if she wanted to escape so badly. If that made her happy, it was alright with him (even though he knew it wasn't).

"Sak, if you want you can- _what the hell is that_?" She winced at his tone. She saw him staring at her bruised cheek and her face turned guilty. _Damn it_.

"Uh, i-it's nothing, Sasuke. I just slept on the wrong side of the bed. Haha… you know how clumsy I get when sleeping."

Her excuse was so lame that even Naruto wouldn't believe it. Her nervous laughter along with her attempt to make a joke out of it didn't affect the Uchiha even a bit. He wouldn't be fazed by that silly excuse. Not at all.

"Sakura, even someone as _oblivious_ as _Naruto_ could tell that it's the mark of a palm. Who?"

She caught onto his incomplete question, but otherwise remained quiet. She didn't want to tell him anything about it. It reminded her to painfully about the truth she'd realized too late.

"_Dammit_ Sakura, who did that to you?" This time his tone was filled with absolute fury. She couldn't even imagine what he'd do if he found out who the culprit was. But if she hid it from him, she'd surely face his wrath, and that was one thing she couldn't face. Not now.

"H-Hotaru. H-He slapped me b-because… because…" she left it unfinished. She couldn't tell him the reason. He'd reject her and she would be left heartbroken. So she'd just defend herself and not reason it.

"I don't care _why_, Sakura. He _slapped_ you, and that's enough of a reason for _me_ to _kill_ him." With that said, he rushed out of her room, in his wake to seek vengeance on Hotaru for hitting her.

She shivered at his tone. It was absolutely malicious. She knew he was never really fond of guys with her. But that was just in his nature, looking out for his friends. She turned her gaze towards the bag and continued her packing. It didn't change anything. She'd go to New York, and try to get over her feelings; get over Sasuke. Even the simple thought of that pained her.

* * *

He asked Naruto for the address of that despicable Hotaru guy (the blond practically knew everyone's address at school). How _dare_ he raise his hand at _his_ Sakura? Yes, by all means, she was his. As soon as he completed his business with this guy, he'd confess to her. And even if she gave him a negative answer, he wouldn't give up. .

He parked his car outside the house and banged the door with as much impoliteness as he could. He was known as the most non-violent, diplomatic guy in the high school. His friends admired him for that, and Sakura had always loved that trait of his. He'd just say to her that Uchihas were born cold so they didn't feel much anger at petty issues. But this time, the issue wasn't trivial at all. His Sakura had been hit, and he didn't care why.

The door was opened by Hotaru himself, who returned the glare the Uchiha was giving him. But it was no match for the Uchiha's murderous glare. Hotaru felt a bit weak under that glare, but he didn't show it (or at least _tried_ to not show it).

"What do you want Uchiha? I don't have time for your-" He was cut off by a punch aimed at his face. The Uchiha punched him ruthlessly. This guy was the reason Sakura was hurt. And he'd be damned if he let it slide by a trifling thing. He wasn't satisfied until Hotaru was beaten to a bloody pulp. He continued to beat him until his cell rang. He let out a string of colorful words before picking up the phone. It was Naruto.

"_Teme, Sakura-chan is going. Stop her before it's too late! Tell her your true feelings before you won't be able to. Don't let her go, teme!_" And the phone line went dead.

It was enough for Sasuke to rush to his car and drive to the airport, fully determined on not letting the roseate leave. Not until she heard his confession first.

* * *

"_Sasuke, what will you do when you want to let a girl know that you love her?" Sakura asked him innocently. They were both lying on the bed; he had his arms around her. It was the way they were with each. He merely raised an eyebrow at her random question, but answered anyway. If he didn't, she was ready to wield her secret weapon: puppy-dog eyes, and he knew that very well._

"_I'll sing to her." _

"_Whoa! That's so romantic! I didn't expect that coming from you." She squealed and gushed about it, before asking another question._

"_By the way, if you wouldn't mind, could you sing that song to me? I want to hear it!" She requested, wanting to hear the song. The Uchiha sighed and shrugged. He couldn't deny the roseate anything, even if he tried. Might as well sing it._

"_Staring out at the rain with a heavy heart  
It's the end of the world in my mind  
Then your voice pulls me back like a wakeup call  
I've been looking for the answer  
Somewhere  
I couldn't see that it was right there  
But now I know what I didn't know_

_Because you live and breathe_  
_Because you make me believe in myself when nobody else can help_  
_Because you live, girl_  
_My world has twice as many stars in the sky_

_It's alright, I survived, I'm alive again_  
_Cuz of you, made it through every storm_  
_What is life, what's the use if you're killing time_  
_I'm so glad I found an angel_  
_Someone_  
_Who was there when all my hopes fell_  
_I wanna fly, looking in your eyes_

_Because you live and breathe_  
_Because you make me believe in myself when nobody else can help_  
_Because you live, girl_  
_My world has twice as many stars in the sky_  
_Because you live, I live_

_Because you live there's a reason why_  
_I carry on when I lose the fight_  
_I want to give what you've given me always_

_Because you live and breathe_  
_Because you make me believe in myself when nobody else can help_  
_Because you live, girl_  
_My world has twice as many stars in the sky_

_Because you live and breathe_  
_Because you make me believe in myself when nobody else can help_  
_Because you live, girl_  
_My world has everything I need to survive_

_Because you live, I live, I live._"

_He turned his head to see her reaction. She was gawking at him before quickly composing herself and she gave him a mischievous grin._

"_Sasu-cakes?"_

"_Hn?"_

"_You _suck _at singing. Don't _ever _try to sing when you're proclaiming your love for a girl! She'll flat out refuse you!" _

_She had giggled at that before a tickling match ensued between both of them._

* * *

She stared at the flight board, dressed in black skinny jeans with a red ruffled top and a black leather jacket over it. Staring at her red sneakers, she exhaled a sigh. She tucked a rebellious pink lock behind her ear. Her hairs were let loose, not having time to tie them up.

"_Passengers traveling to New York by the 7K flight please get your luggage checked at the security bay before boarding the plane. Thank you and have a safe trip."_

_This is it_, she thought. There was no going back. She just needed some alone time away from Sasuke, and she'd be able to get over him. She ignored the ache in her heart over that thought. Sasuke had already done so much for her. She couldn't ask him for more. She wanted to get together with him, but she valued her friendship too much. She couldn't risk it. She couldn't live the rest of her life making Sasuke think that she was just another one of his fan girls. Ignoring the emotional turmoil within her, she moved towards the security checking system, determined to get away from this place once and for all, before anyone could stop her. Of course, she didn't count a certain Uchiha in that one.

* * *

Sasuke ran. He'd never run with such speed in his life. Not even when he was playing soccer against the Sound team.

_She was leaving._

_She was leaving him._

_She was leaving him alone_.

That was all he was able to think about. He didn't want her to leave. With as much power as he could muster up, he ran with more speed.

He arrived at the airport, facing the flight board. Two minutes remaining before the flight to New York took off. He barely made it. But there wasn't any time to waste, not even a millisecond. He couldn't be sure that he'd be lucky enough to find her in this massive crowd.

He looked, looked and _looked_. No sign of her. _Damn it_. Was he too late? Too late to stop her? Too late to confess his feelings?

And then he saw _her_, her bright pink hair stood out amidst the crowd. He made a run for it. There was no time to waste. He _had_ to confess. His life was on the line.

He almost reached her, but the security guards stopped him from doing so.

"Sir, can we see your ticket please?" One of them asked. The Uchiha faced him.

"I don't have a ticket. Just let me go. I'm not going to go on the plane." He was desperate; desperate enough to plead with them to let him go to the roseate.

"Sorry, sir. We can't allow that. Please show us your ticket, if you have it. If not, please leave and come back when you have the one."

"Do you even _know_ who I am? I could easily kick you out of your job without lifting a finger. I'll make sure that you won't be hired for the rest of your life. Now let me go before you regret stopping me."

There was plain malice in his words. But it didn't faze the guards one bit. They were adamant in not letting him go through.

"We're just doing our job, sir. We get threats like this almost every day."

He watched her, leaving, leaving him behind, alone, to himself. _No_. He couldn't let her _go_. A fragment of memory suddenly made its way into his head. _Of course_. How could he forget _that_?

He looked around. There were lots of people, and this would surely be the headline in tomorrow's newspaper. He took one look at the departure of his love and made up his mind.

Well, _damn_ them.

"_Staring out at the rain with a heavy heart  
It's the end of the world in my mind  
Then your voice pulls me back like a wakeup call  
I've been looking for the answer  
Somewhere  
I couldn't see that it was right there  
But now I know what I didn't know"_

Sakura snapped her head towards the source of the voice. She knew that song. She knew it _too_ well. She looked around, her eyes searching for his figure.

"_Because you live and breathe  
Because you make me believe in myself when nobody else can help  
Because you live, girl  
My world has twice as many stars in the sky"_

She found him, restrained by the guards. Her lips twitched upwards at his not-so-melodical voice. His voice wasn't made for singing. He couldn't sing even if his life depended on it.

"_Because you live there's a reason why  
I carry on when I lose the fight  
I want to give what you've given me always_

_Because you live and breathe_  
_Because you make me believe in myself when nobody else can help_  
_Because you live, girl_  
_My world has twice as many stars in the sky_

_Because you live and breathe_  
_Because you make me believe in myself when nobody else can help_  
_Because you live, girl_  
_My world has everything I need to survive_

_Because you live, I live, I live_"

She couldn't stop the grin from forming on her face. It was just too _comical_. Sasuke combined with singing meant hilarity. There was no way she could ignore the feeling now. She knew that song too well. He said he'd sing it to the girl he loves. And he was singing it to _her_. That meant he _loved her_.

Leaving her bags there, she ran up to him, the guards too shocked too restrain him. She jumped into his awaiting arms and tackled him to the ground. Sasuke, not expecting such a strong reaction, lost his balance, and both of them stumbled to the ground. But both of them were too happy to notice that.

Before Sakura could so much as think about what was happening, Sasuke captured her lips in a searing kiss. She stared at his closed eyes, unable to breathe, her mind bereft of thought, unable to comprehend that _Sasuke_ was kissing _her_. It was like time had stopped, and she was caught in the best dream, where her best friend loved her as much as she loved him. Forgetting where she was and what was happening, she closed her eyes and kissed him back without abandon, wrapping her arms behind his neck and pressing herself against him. He, in turn, wrapped his arms about her waist, in a grip that refused to let her go. Finally, but far too quickly for both of them, Sasuke broke the kiss and buried his face into the crook at her neck.

He kept repeating the words "_I Love You, I love you,"_ in her ear like a mantra. She couldn't stop smiling. It was like her dreams had come true.

"I love you, too," she responded, snapping him out of his mantra. He raised his head from her neck and looked at her. There was a strange glow on the rosette's face, and he immediately recognized it as complete and utter happiness. Sakura was just delighted over the fact that he loved her. Nothing could have made them happier.

"Really?" he asked, having to confirm it.

"Of course, silly. Why wouldn't I?"

Now _that_ made him overjoyed. He smirked at her and slanted his lips over hers once again.

"And Sasu-cakes?" she said between his kisses.

"Hn?" he mumbled, trying to catch his breath.

"You suck at singing," she said bluntly.

A deep chuckle vibrated deep in his chest. He couldn't have cared less about that. Not when he was kissing the most outrageous, clumsiest, weirdest, intoxicating, beautiful girl in his arms.

"I mean, seriously, you're lucky that I love you so much or else with your singing ability I'd have just flat-out rejected you. Yeah, I'd have-" She was cut off by his lips. Her protest was halted by the sincerity of the moment of passion they shared with each other at that moment.

"Shut up, Sakura. Annoying."

* * *

**Yo people!**

**So, this is my first one-shot. *grin***

**First of all, I'd like for you all to know that, _blankstateofmind_ (Sado-chan) and _Sapphire Rivulet_ (Sophee-chan) are the betas of this one-shot. Thanks to their amazing editing abilities, I was able to make my story decent enough to read. You guys are awesome and I love you! Go check out their awesome fics, people. And Sophee-chan, you are the best friend ever :D And for those who are planning to take her away- Hands off, she's _MINE_! And she knows it too :) So don't try to take her away behind my back, because I'll know it somehow -_-**

**And now, for those who plan to just Favorite this story and leave without a review, let me tell you something. I've this uber-sharp knife kept beside my computer. And it's sharp, like really, _really_ sharp. I could cut up a whole mountain with it. So, if you don't want to get tortured by this uber-sharp knife of mine, I'd suggest you to leave a comment (if you don't want to leave this world...yet). *evil cackle***

**Since this is my first one-shot, I don't really expect it to be perfect. I'm still a learning writer after all. And yeah, if you liked this one-shot, I'd write a sequel for it. But tell me if you want, because I'm no god to get your message through telepathy. The sequel would basically be about the way Sasuke will propose to Sakura. So if you want a sequel, inform me ^_^  
**

**Now, you see the blue button down there, yeah, the one which say "Review this Story", click it, and say something about this one-shot of mine "-_-"  
**

**So REVIEW, my lovelies XD**


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